Diaphanopterodea

The Diaphanopterodea or Paramegasecoptera are an extinct order of moderate to large-sized Palaeozoic insects. They are first known from the Middle Carboniferous (late Serpukhovian or early Bashkirian in age), and include some of the earliest known flying insects.

Diaphanopterodea
Temporal range:
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Superorder: †Palaeodictyopteroidea
Order: †Diaphanopterodea
Handlirsch, 1919
Families
  • Aenigmatidiidae Rohdendorf, 1961
  • Alexrasnitsyniidae Prokop & Nel, 2011
  • Asthenohymenidae Tillyard, 1924
  • Bardohymenidae Zalessky, 1937
  • Biarmohymenidae Zalessky, 1937
  • Diaphanopteridae Handlirsch, 1906
  • Elmoidae Tillyard, 1937
  • Martynoviidae Tillyard, 1932
  • Namurodiaphidae Kukalova-Peck & Brauckmann, 1990
  • Parelmoidae Rohdendorf, 1962
  • Prochoropteridae Handlirsch, 1911
  • Velisopteridae Pinto & Adami-Rodrigues, 1997

Overview

Despite their very early appearance in the insect fossil record, they represent a specialised group of Palaeodictyopteroidea (Palaeozoic beaked insects), unique among representatives of that group in having evolved the ability to fold their wings over their thorax and abdomen in a manner similar to, but not homologous with, the Neopteran insects. The nymphs also had an unusual appearance, being covered in numerous hairlike filaments.[1]

Diaphanopterodea are distinguished by a number of other characteristics, and are generally considered to be a monophyletic group. About ten families are known. The group died out at the end of the Permian period, victims of the End-Permian mass-extinction, without leaving any descendants.

References
  1. Hoell, H.V.; Doyen, J.T. & Purcell, A.H. (1998). Introduction to Insect Biology and Diversity (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 322. ISBN 0-19-510033-6.
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